It is now clear that it was an internal complaint that ultimately led Mapleton Township to dole out almost $87,000 in pay equity compensation to employees denied the personal use of township vehicles.
Clerk Patty Sinnamon confirmed this week that someone lodged a complaint with the provincial Pay Equity Commission, which triggered the appointment of a review officer to investigate the complaint.
“There was no [Pay Equity] tribunal,” Sinnamon said.
That means the matter was settled without contest, as the Pay Equity Tribunal is in place to hear and decide pay equity disputes.
When asked if council had a choice in approving the pay outs, Mayor John Green replied, “Absolutely not.” He said the Pay Equity Commission is “untouchable” and wields “Godly powers.”
Green also said that councillors were not happy when informed the township had to make the payments.
“I would say council’s opinion was great disappoint-ment,” he said. “We feel we have good employees and good benefits – but obviously someone felt differently.”
Sinnamon said while the role of the Pay Equity Commission in this case was to “order” the township to make the pay equity adjustments, the actual dollar figure – $86,794 – was calculated by the township and approved by council.
However, the commission did review that procedure and calculation to ensure everything was acceptable, she added.
Some residents, including several who contacted the Wellington Advertiser about the issue, assumed from the story in the April 25 edition that the “retroactive compensation adjustments” were provided only to female employees.
While the original statement provided by Sinnamon did give that impression, she explained this week that male employees who were denied the personal use of a vehicle also received compensation.
She explained that the “pay equity” issue deals just with female job classes, but in order to observe “internal equity,” council decided to extend the compensation to affected male job classes as well.
Since the story broke two weeks ago, residents have also inquired about the term “personal use,” as applied to township vehicles.
When asked if that means simply driving to and from work or more of an extended use, Sinnamon said only that it applies to any use not related to township business.
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According to the Pay Equity Commission’s website at payequity.gov.on.ca, employees can make a complaint at any time and there are no time limits under the Pay Equity Act for filing a complaint.
Employees have the right to decide if they agree with how the employer did pay equity. Individuals can call the commission, confidentially, to discuss their situation before deciding to make a complaint.
Employees can complain at any time:
– if they’re not sure that pay equity has been done;
– if they disagree with how pay equity was done;
– that pay equity is not being maintained (for example, the male job class that your job was compared to received an increase – and your job did not);
– that changes in the workplace are such that the pay equity plans are no longer appropriate;
– that the pay equity plan affecting an employee’s job does not comply with the act;
– that the pay equity plan was not carried out according to its terms; and
– that an employee has been fired, coerced, penalized, or harassed because of pay equity.
Former employees can also file a pay equity complaint, and complaints are forwarded to the Review Services Branch of the Pay Equity Office for investigation and resolution.
